A glimpse into the life and thoughts of an artist

Before we discuss the season and our levels of distraction, let's take a moment to recognize today as the shortest day of the year for those of us in the northern hemisphere. It is the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere, where they are enjoying the longest day of the year. Let us all breathe in the energy of quiet, calm, love, and peace, before we begin this day.

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Feeling scattered and less focused doesn't feel good. 

begin with an idea

My days are generally busy. With the addition of the holidays, and all that I would like to get done, the noise of life is even louder.

 

Ah well, let it go, let it go, let it go...

 
You have probably heard the adage: The better it is, the better it gets, and the worse it is ... (no need to finish the end of it, we all know how it goes).

The scientific term behind this truism is Momentum.

Have you been building momentum through your thoughts and actions, or have you been scattering your energies and focus through distractions?
add texture & paint

It is easier to stop almost anything that is just beginning, before the momentum has time to build.

We can catch a dropped ball if we stretch our arms out quickly before it is out of reach.

The same is true of our train of thought.
watch your idea come to life


Thoughts can be like a freight train barreling down a hill.

If we are thinking a thought that feels good, stoke those fires, and watch your idea come to life. "Let her rip!"
 
If your thought is fraught with trepidation, fear, or resistance of any kind, catch it before it leaves the station!

If your thoughts of fear or worry are already moving out ahead of you, let them go. Eventually they will exhaust you, you will run out of steam, and that train of thought will stop.

Tomorrow is another day and another opportunity for you to stop that thought train.

Of course this requires a bit of self-awareness. If you have read this far, you are definitely up to the task!
nurture her to life (here she is, in process)


Our ideas come to us at many different times and in many different ways. Jot them down, even in the margins, to capture them. Later, when the distractions of the day have passed, take note, and follow through on those that hold a spark for you.

Ideas have energy. Sometimes the simplest ones are the most powerful. You might not know which ones those are until you take the time to do the follow through.

During these holiday months, enjoy the sweet distractions of life. There will be time to rebuild your momentum once the new year has begun.

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January 2014 Art of Aloha Events 

January 10, 5:30-8pm Honolulu Museum of Art School Instructor's Exhibit Opening Reception at Linekona Main Gallery

January 19-February 20, Art of Aloha: In Celebration of Women exhibit at the Gallery on the Pali: 10am-6pm M-F, 2-6pm Sat & Sun 

January 25, 5-7pm Art of Aloha: In Celebration of Women Opening Reception at the Gallery on the Pali 

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Please remember to go to www.artofaloha.com to purchase art for your home or office, for yourself, or as a gift. Art lasts a lifetime. In fact, art can be passed on through generations.

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A hui hou, 

  

  

  

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"Friendship is the source of the greatest pleasures, and without friends even the most agreeable pursuits can become tedious."   ~St. Thomas Aquinas

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Patrice's New Beach Hat Previously an oil painter, Patrice learned the joys of watercolor upon her arrival in Honolulu in June 2000. She has been painting full time ever since. It is her intention to live her "Real Life" creatively, from the inside out; and to inspire others -- through her paintings, art lessons, words, and example -- to live their lives to the fullest.

Patrice is a Trustee of the Hawai`i Watercolor Society. She teaches private lessons and workshops, as well as a survey class on watercolor techniques for the Honolulu Museum of Art.

"I paint with passion, live without regrets, and move joyfully forward through life."
~Patrice Federspiel

Patrice at Lanikai Art Festival 7/2011Patrice Federspiel
PO Box 61707
Honolulu, Hawaii 96839

(808) 392-9104

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